The razzle-dazzle sequined circus that is Dancing on Ice returned to Nottingham this weekend, pleased and proud to be back in the home city of Bolero.
Or as the master of ceremonies put it, “Torvill and Dean’s Dancing on Ice”.
Because it really was their show this time around, with not even perennial host Andi Peters in sight to keep the action bobbing along.
Jayne and Chris themselves were the comperes and anyone who’s ever heard them interviewed will know that it’s perhaps not their strongest role.
Out on the ice, though, they were most definitely in charge, with three spectacular routines to remind us that it was here that the legend began.
Their first set the standard for the rest of the evening while after the break they treated us to two more arrangements, one with Jayne in a Geri Halliwell-style union flag-design dress, paying homage to our sporting summer ahead.
In the contest itself, the ladies in the audience found themselves overexcited at the sight of Dancing On Ice 2012 champion, Emmerdale soap star Matthew Wolfenden – who was definitely a crowd favourite and always destined to be in the final.
Singer Chico caused plenty of interest too.
Shirtless, muscular and with the ability to shake the parts you wouldn’t normally look at.
Actor Sam Attwater, Coronation Street’s Andy Whyment and tiny Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter made up the five who won through to the final on the night we were there ... but it wouldn’t be fair who reveal who triumphed in a Bolero skate-off.
Suffice to say it was a popular decision and went to the celebrity who so desperately wanted to win.
We were also treated to near-perfect routines from bendable actress Jennifer Ellison, smiley Sugababe Heidi Range and British skier Chemmy Alcott.
The standard was high and finalists were chosen by a text vote from the audience, which was amalgamated with the judges’ scores.
No flying this year, though, and after our local heroes departed the ice to the ovation they deserved, the first few numbers from the competitors seemed a little flat, even when the favourites graced the ice.
With the Arena rather less than filled to capacity, and tickets available in all areas for Sunday’s show, perhaps the public is cooling to Dancing On Ice.
Even the judging panel was slimmed down from five to three this year, comprising former Olympian and TV series coach Karen Barber, 2007 winner Kyran Bracken and comedy actor Christopher Biggins.
Sunday, April 22
Thursday, March 1
The King and I - Theatre Royal, Nottingham
An explosion of colour and sound and two wonderfully cast leads, along with heroic stagecraft and scenery, whisk the audience off into another time and a far-off world.
We're often told that this is the true story of the King (played by the excellent Ramon Tikaram), willing to embrace the best of what the West can offer while fearful that it will take away much of what he loves about home.
It takes the guile and rapport of the British school teacher Anna (Josefina Gabrielle) to help him muddle along – and together their diplomacy and tact wins through.
While Ramon is probably best known for TV roles such as Ferdy in This Life and Qadim, in EastEnders, he's a natural in front of the live audience, subtly working the crowd in a not-too-knowing way.
Double Olivier-nominated stage and screen actress Josefina has scores of theatre credits from the regions and the West End and she breathes life into Anna in a performance that clearly won more than just the King's heart.
Aiko Kato, as Eliza in the performance of The Small House of Uncle Thomas, was a pint-sized star, expressive to the point where we were hard-pushed not to share her anguish, relief and joy during the set-piece ballet from Act Two.
Add 32 locally-cast children to the mix and it's an unforgettable theatrical extravaganza.
One of the great Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, it combines superb music with a strong story and this show boasts some great one-liners from the King which betray his deep wisdom, albeit in a mind constrained by his beliefs and upbringing.
Some of the most colourful stage costumes eased in a traditional Siamese theme, working well with scene changes involving giant golden statues, the all-important throne and a cityscape that made it so easy to lose yourself in the story and its nuances.
The March of the Siamese Children is of course a memorable number, along with I Whistle a Happy Tune and Shall We Dance, all performed with perfect orchestral backing.
The cast are clearly enjoying themselves so much – and their show more than stands the test of time and the rigours of a live performance.
At two hours and 25 minutes long, you'll leave in agreement that it's not over-long, but simply outstanding value and excellent theatre.
We're often told that this is the true story of the King (played by the excellent Ramon Tikaram), willing to embrace the best of what the West can offer while fearful that it will take away much of what he loves about home.
It takes the guile and rapport of the British school teacher Anna (Josefina Gabrielle) to help him muddle along – and together their diplomacy and tact wins through.
While Ramon is probably best known for TV roles such as Ferdy in This Life and Qadim, in EastEnders, he's a natural in front of the live audience, subtly working the crowd in a not-too-knowing way.
Double Olivier-nominated stage and screen actress Josefina has scores of theatre credits from the regions and the West End and she breathes life into Anna in a performance that clearly won more than just the King's heart.
Aiko Kato, as Eliza in the performance of The Small House of Uncle Thomas, was a pint-sized star, expressive to the point where we were hard-pushed not to share her anguish, relief and joy during the set-piece ballet from Act Two.
Add 32 locally-cast children to the mix and it's an unforgettable theatrical extravaganza.
One of the great Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, it combines superb music with a strong story and this show boasts some great one-liners from the King which betray his deep wisdom, albeit in a mind constrained by his beliefs and upbringing.
Some of the most colourful stage costumes eased in a traditional Siamese theme, working well with scene changes involving giant golden statues, the all-important throne and a cityscape that made it so easy to lose yourself in the story and its nuances.
The March of the Siamese Children is of course a memorable number, along with I Whistle a Happy Tune and Shall We Dance, all performed with perfect orchestral backing.
The cast are clearly enjoying themselves so much – and their show more than stands the test of time and the rigours of a live performance.
At two hours and 25 minutes long, you'll leave in agreement that it's not over-long, but simply outstanding value and excellent theatre.
Wednesday, February 8
Swallows and Amazons, Nottingham Theatre Royal
Did you have adventures in the wilds of the countryside as a nipper?
Here's a tale of youngsters from a time when you could let your imagination run riot - and it's a feast of music, exploration and piracy for all ages.
And there's ample opportunity for the audience to use their imagination too, as some of the oldest children around prepare to do battle and defeat their enemies in front of a backdrop of clever scenery and props.
Swallows and Amazons is the Arthur Ransome book set in the Lake District and written in the 1930s and this touring production comes from the Children's Touring Partnership whose Goodnight Mister Tom recently visited Nottingham.
Any child who's old enough to read will enjoy this action-packed show. They will immediately appreciate the adult actors playing the children of two families, brought together during school holidays as they sail the lakes and islands of an idyllic era, something that makes it easy to relate to for the grown-ups in the audience too.
After a battle of supremacy between the crews of Swallow and Amazon, the youngsters join forces to take on the barbarian adults who almost succeed in curtailing their fun.
If you were ever a child, this show is a must. If you ever had a den, made weapons from a stick, camped out or spent a day exploring at the seaside, the actors here will vividly recall those feelings of freedom - and the threat posed by rival youngsters.
You'll also find an unexpected chance for audience participation which slots seamlessly into the show despite being quite a departure from what went before. Sail a Swallow or Amazon for yourself, join in the pitched battle and vote on whether the captain should walk the plank!
Here's a tale of youngsters from a time when you could let your imagination run riot - and it's a feast of music, exploration and piracy for all ages.
And there's ample opportunity for the audience to use their imagination too, as some of the oldest children around prepare to do battle and defeat their enemies in front of a backdrop of clever scenery and props.
Swallows and Amazons is the Arthur Ransome book set in the Lake District and written in the 1930s and this touring production comes from the Children's Touring Partnership whose Goodnight Mister Tom recently visited Nottingham.
Any child who's old enough to read will enjoy this action-packed show. They will immediately appreciate the adult actors playing the children of two families, brought together during school holidays as they sail the lakes and islands of an idyllic era, something that makes it easy to relate to for the grown-ups in the audience too.
After a battle of supremacy between the crews of Swallow and Amazon, the youngsters join forces to take on the barbarian adults who almost succeed in curtailing their fun.
If you were ever a child, this show is a must. If you ever had a den, made weapons from a stick, camped out or spent a day exploring at the seaside, the actors here will vividly recall those feelings of freedom - and the threat posed by rival youngsters.
You'll also find an unexpected chance for audience participation which slots seamlessly into the show despite being quite a departure from what went before. Sail a Swallow or Amazon for yourself, join in the pitched battle and vote on whether the captain should walk the plank!
Monday, January 23
Roger McGough, Nottingham Playhouse
When a man gets to a certain age, it's time to look back.
Whether revisiting clear memories of learning to read during the war (by the light of Messerschmitts crash-landing outside), or hazier memories of chasing a ball that rolled into a minefield on Crosby beach, Liverpudlian poet Roger McGough delivers key ingredients to provoke private thoughts among the audience.
Occasionally, the watching guests would murmur in shared understanding of experience, events or fears. This was McGough on growing older. Looking further back, recalling people, places and events.
Yet in just a few words his own experiences were easily – and in many cases sympathetically – shared with his audience. Colourful language and choice descriptive phrases spark thoughts racing which are revisited hours later in one's quieter moments.
Who else could have described marrying in old age as "leading your partner into a macabre dance" or conjured up the thought that living each day as if it's your last might well involve lying in intensive care, wired up to medical machinery rather than a gung ho rollercoaster existence?
This is not a maudlin show. Far from it. It celebrates the rich tapestry of life and the ability to look back and put everything into perspective – summed up well in As Far As I Know, some thoughts on a (perhaps) quiet life, which elicits a wonderful audience response when read aloud by the writer.
Whether revisiting clear memories of learning to read during the war (by the light of Messerschmitts crash-landing outside), or hazier memories of chasing a ball that rolled into a minefield on Crosby beach, Liverpudlian poet Roger McGough delivers key ingredients to provoke private thoughts among the audience.
Occasionally, the watching guests would murmur in shared understanding of experience, events or fears. This was McGough on growing older. Looking further back, recalling people, places and events.
Yet in just a few words his own experiences were easily – and in many cases sympathetically – shared with his audience. Colourful language and choice descriptive phrases spark thoughts racing which are revisited hours later in one's quieter moments.
Who else could have described marrying in old age as "leading your partner into a macabre dance" or conjured up the thought that living each day as if it's your last might well involve lying in intensive care, wired up to medical machinery rather than a gung ho rollercoaster existence?
This is not a maudlin show. Far from it. It celebrates the rich tapestry of life and the ability to look back and put everything into perspective – summed up well in As Far As I Know, some thoughts on a (perhaps) quiet life, which elicits a wonderful audience response when read aloud by the writer.
Sunday, November 20
Disney On Ice - great show this year in Nottingham
So were you expecting Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Pluto? So were we - but they were merely the warm up act with this year's Disney on Ice going from strength to strength from beginning to end.
Despite being firm favourites they only set the scene for a series of superb set-pieces which proved much better than previous years' efforts.
And what's more there was something for everyone, with the vehicles from Cars sliding around the rink, an undersea adventure with Ariel, a Tink-tastic tale with everyone's favourite fairy - and then an amazing second half with all our favourites from Toy Story.
Each set tells a familiar story, so even if you weren't all that familiar with every nuance of the Disney stable, it's easy to follow what's going on!
Amazingly, the first story, from Cars, saw real vehicles slip-sliding around as they rescued Mickey's charabanc from a breakdown. Not many ice skates in evidence but a beautifully choreographed section with characters that look just like the real thing. I never knew that Lightning McQueen, Mater and the others were real, so it was an eye-opener for me!
Then came the first of the ice dancers - with the tale of Ariel looking for her Eric. Prince Eric? There's hope for us all in that case, isn't there? As we know only too well, Ursula's deal becomes Ariel's choice. But of course it all ends happily ever after.
Tinkerbell's changed a lot since those early days being a pugnacious rebel in Peter Pan. She's joined by a whole host of fairy friends who the little girls in the sold-out Arena all knew the names of before they introduced themselves. We got some 'real' flying to wow the crowds, and dozens of little 'uns out there were wishing they had wings, too. If your princess one loves the likes of Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist and Fawn, book your tickets now!
Oddly, the second half was just a single story but flew by.
It was, of course, a Toy Story. Toy Story 3 to be precise, the one where Andy says goodbye to his pals. But not before they've done some magnificent set-pieces, the most impressive being dozens of little green toy soldiers doing their moves on the ice. But there's Mr and Mrs Potato Head, Slinky, Barbie and Ken alongside Woody and Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang.
There's no expense spared with this show, and every character is perfectly crafted to transport you into the worlds of fantasy it promises across the ticket.
Despite being firm favourites they only set the scene for a series of superb set-pieces which proved much better than previous years' efforts.
And what's more there was something for everyone, with the vehicles from Cars sliding around the rink, an undersea adventure with Ariel, a Tink-tastic tale with everyone's favourite fairy - and then an amazing second half with all our favourites from Toy Story.
Each set tells a familiar story, so even if you weren't all that familiar with every nuance of the Disney stable, it's easy to follow what's going on!
Amazingly, the first story, from Cars, saw real vehicles slip-sliding around as they rescued Mickey's charabanc from a breakdown. Not many ice skates in evidence but a beautifully choreographed section with characters that look just like the real thing. I never knew that Lightning McQueen, Mater and the others were real, so it was an eye-opener for me!
Then came the first of the ice dancers - with the tale of Ariel looking for her Eric. Prince Eric? There's hope for us all in that case, isn't there? As we know only too well, Ursula's deal becomes Ariel's choice. But of course it all ends happily ever after.
Tinkerbell's changed a lot since those early days being a pugnacious rebel in Peter Pan. She's joined by a whole host of fairy friends who the little girls in the sold-out Arena all knew the names of before they introduced themselves. We got some 'real' flying to wow the crowds, and dozens of little 'uns out there were wishing they had wings, too. If your princess one loves the likes of Iridessa, Rosetta, Silvermist and Fawn, book your tickets now!
Oddly, the second half was just a single story but flew by.
It was, of course, a Toy Story. Toy Story 3 to be precise, the one where Andy says goodbye to his pals. But not before they've done some magnificent set-pieces, the most impressive being dozens of little green toy soldiers doing their moves on the ice. But there's Mr and Mrs Potato Head, Slinky, Barbie and Ken alongside Woody and Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the gang.
There's no expense spared with this show, and every character is perfectly crafted to transport you into the worlds of fantasy it promises across the ticket.
Wednesday, August 10
Verity Rushworth in The Sound of Music
INFECTIOUS and addictive: half an hour after leaving the theatre you're guaranteed to be whistling a reprise of the Lonely Goatherd out loud – even if it does surprise the passengers on the bus home.
Direct from the West End, it says, and this realisation of a wonderful and timeless classic demonstrates how the legacy of Julie Andrews' film role is in very safe hands.
The tomboy nature of a lanky trainee nun who's unsure of her commitment to the abbey is expertly conveyed by Verity Rushworth. It's no wonder the Captain falls for her.
It's also easy to see why this Rodgers and Hammerstein musical attracts such a hardcore fan base. And while it's true you know what to expect because of the film, the stage version inevitably results in a truncation of the plot. But fear not. The reason you're going is for that music – Maria's subtle comic asides mean Verity scores an instant and natural connection with the audience. And we find that she sings too!
Reading in the lavish programme that Connie Fisher was taking the lead at some other theatres on the tour, it was something of a welcome revelation that with former Emmerdale girl Verity, we couldn't have wished for a better incarnation of Maria.
Alongside Keiron Crook as Captain Georg Von Trapp, the would-be lovers play off each other magnificently, despite the plot format making their marriage a very swift conclusion to their attraction.
The younger Von Trapp children were all spot on, winning the hearts of youngsters in the audiences, and generating a tear or two among their parents!
We all loved Claire Fishenden as the eldest von Trapp daughter Liesl, soon to realise womanhood. And Martin Callaghan's comic turn as Max Detweiler was also a winner, along with our Mother Abbess for Nottingham, Marilyn Hill Smith, who gave an exhilarating invitation to Climb Ev'ry Mountain to send the first half of the show out on a high. It's hard to resist singing along with all those bright, familiar tunes with, of course, Do-re-mi among the numerous highlights.
The house was packed for this first Saturday night of a three-week run. Judging by the whoops of approval at the curtain call, remaining seats will be selling like hot strudel.
Direct from the West End, it says, and this realisation of a wonderful and timeless classic demonstrates how the legacy of Julie Andrews' film role is in very safe hands.
The tomboy nature of a lanky trainee nun who's unsure of her commitment to the abbey is expertly conveyed by Verity Rushworth. It's no wonder the Captain falls for her.
It's also easy to see why this Rodgers and Hammerstein musical attracts such a hardcore fan base. And while it's true you know what to expect because of the film, the stage version inevitably results in a truncation of the plot. But fear not. The reason you're going is for that music – Maria's subtle comic asides mean Verity scores an instant and natural connection with the audience. And we find that she sings too!
Reading in the lavish programme that Connie Fisher was taking the lead at some other theatres on the tour, it was something of a welcome revelation that with former Emmerdale girl Verity, we couldn't have wished for a better incarnation of Maria.
Alongside Keiron Crook as Captain Georg Von Trapp, the would-be lovers play off each other magnificently, despite the plot format making their marriage a very swift conclusion to their attraction.
The younger Von Trapp children were all spot on, winning the hearts of youngsters in the audiences, and generating a tear or two among their parents!
We all loved Claire Fishenden as the eldest von Trapp daughter Liesl, soon to realise womanhood. And Martin Callaghan's comic turn as Max Detweiler was also a winner, along with our Mother Abbess for Nottingham, Marilyn Hill Smith, who gave an exhilarating invitation to Climb Ev'ry Mountain to send the first half of the show out on a high. It's hard to resist singing along with all those bright, familiar tunes with, of course, Do-re-mi among the numerous highlights.
The house was packed for this first Saturday night of a three-week run. Judging by the whoops of approval at the curtain call, remaining seats will be selling like hot strudel.
You To Me Are Everything: a slow burn!
For a man whose band’s big No1 was sandwiched between The Wurzels and Demis Roussos at the start of that long hot summer of 1976, Eddy Amoo is a very chipper man.
The Real Thing recorded You To Me Are Everything at the start of the year after it failed to excite record bosses in London – and it kick started a career that’s lasted until the present day.
The soul trio perform at the Theatre Royal this weekend as part of an idefinite programme of live shows and expect an energy-filled audience to set the party alight.
“Life doesn’t stop just because you don’t have hit records,” says Eddy.
“We continually recycle ourselves in that me and Chris are producers and writers, and over the years we have tweaked and changed the classic tunes so that they fit in today without losing the magic. We’re always writing new material for the show and we can still stand up there and be full of energy.”
So what does it feel like to be the architect of the hit that forms the soundtrack to so many people’s lives? Did the band feel something special was about to happen when they first heard their biggest hit back in ‘76?
“Abolutely not!” he said.
“It was hawked around everyone in London before it came to us. They all turned it down.
“We were just about to get the boot from our record company because we’d had a series of misses. Our record company thought it wasn’t a bad song at all, so they gave us a small budget to record it.
“It was very early in 1976 we recorded it and then forgot all about it. Three or four months later our manager came to us and told us it was selling 100 records a day.
“Then one day we got a telegram from our manager. He said get the band down to London tomorrow as it was one of the breakers [the fastest climbers in the top 50] and they wanted us on Top of The Pops.
“Everything went mad, it was magic.”
Yet the biggest year of hits for The Real Thing was actually in the following decade, when in 1986 they hit the charts with Straight to the Heart and sccessfully released remixes of You to Me Are Everything, Can't Get By Without You, and Can You Feel the Force?
And it’s their stying power that’s the secret.
“We’re the original members – we’re not a tribute band,” says Eddy, “which is what happens when you keep replacing people over the years.
“We built up an audience over two completely different timespans and have built on that.”
The Real Thing recorded You To Me Are Everything at the start of the year after it failed to excite record bosses in London – and it kick started a career that’s lasted until the present day.
The soul trio perform at the Theatre Royal this weekend as part of an idefinite programme of live shows and expect an energy-filled audience to set the party alight.
“Life doesn’t stop just because you don’t have hit records,” says Eddy.
“We continually recycle ourselves in that me and Chris are producers and writers, and over the years we have tweaked and changed the classic tunes so that they fit in today without losing the magic. We’re always writing new material for the show and we can still stand up there and be full of energy.”
So what does it feel like to be the architect of the hit that forms the soundtrack to so many people’s lives? Did the band feel something special was about to happen when they first heard their biggest hit back in ‘76?
“Abolutely not!” he said.
“It was hawked around everyone in London before it came to us. They all turned it down.
“We were just about to get the boot from our record company because we’d had a series of misses. Our record company thought it wasn’t a bad song at all, so they gave us a small budget to record it.
“It was very early in 1976 we recorded it and then forgot all about it. Three or four months later our manager came to us and told us it was selling 100 records a day.
“Then one day we got a telegram from our manager. He said get the band down to London tomorrow as it was one of the breakers [the fastest climbers in the top 50] and they wanted us on Top of The Pops.
“Everything went mad, it was magic.”
Yet the biggest year of hits for The Real Thing was actually in the following decade, when in 1986 they hit the charts with Straight to the Heart and sccessfully released remixes of You to Me Are Everything, Can't Get By Without You, and Can You Feel the Force?
And it’s their stying power that’s the secret.
“We’re the original members – we’re not a tribute band,” says Eddy, “which is what happens when you keep replacing people over the years.
“We built up an audience over two completely different timespans and have built on that.”
X-factor Jamie set to rock the racecourse
JAMIE 'Afro' Archer is the latest star to join the line-up of the first Rasen Rocks summer concert at Market Rasen Racecourse.
He’ll bring the band Archer to the races in a show that includes headline performer Aiden Grimshaw as well as Paije Richardson.
Already an accomplished performer, he wowed all four judges with his energetic rendition of Kings of Leon's 'Sex on Fire' in the first round of auditions for the hit ITV show.
He says we can expect to hear the “new sound” at the gig, something which might surprise a few fans.
Jamie told What’s On: “Some people might be expecting us to put out a Bon Jovi record. It couldn't be further from the truth.
“We've been looking for a new rock sound. It'll surprise some. There's a lot of depth to the music and lyrics.
“Be assured though, it's big, it's fun, it's loud it's singalong - been waiting a long time to be able to play these songs out. This is the real thing.
“The whole band will be there. This is what really excites me. I've done alot of shows in the past to backing CDs and the audience don't buy it.
“They want real quality live music. And that's what they get with this band. It's going to be a blast.“
Aside from preparing and rehearsing the live dates, Archer have also been in the studio, recording their latest tracks – but not necessarily an album, according to Jamie..
He said: “The current concept of albums and singles is outdated now. People just buy songs they like. We're more interested in releasing quality singles and EPs at the moment and the album will take care of itself.
“At the moment we're promoting the first single which is called 'insanity'. It sums up how anyone is feeling when they're on the edge. It's a big song. We'll be performing it at Market Rasen.
“Everyone in this operation has worked so hard to get us here because we all believe in this. We all just want to see some decent rock music back in the charts.
“The music is based in rock but has many different influences. Especially house music. It ranges from big, big singalongs to beautiful ballads. You get a balanced diet of music with us.”
He says life has changed somewhat since the X Factor experience – and it’s one he wouldn’t swap.
“Love it,” he said, ”Love being on the road meeting the fans. I still have to pinch myself sometimes when I think of the amazing opportunities the X Factor has given me.
“All I ever wanted was to release a song and have a fair chance of people hearing it and get a shot of getting some fresh rock music out there.”
And was he looking forward to an outdoor gig at the races?
“Of course we are. Last year I got seriously rained on. Fingers crossed the weather holds out.
“But in the true British way it did not dampen spirits. The crowd absolutely had it. I know the crowd won't disappoint.”
Thursday, June 30
Good Mourning Mrs Brown - 'divides opinion like Marmite'
by Patrick Astill
It really is no surprise that the TV show Mrs Brown's Boys divides opinion like Marmite. It certainly isn't one for the faint-hearted.
The programme has proved a surprise ratings hit for the BBC despite going down faster than the Titanic with the critics.
It's a traditional comedy staple in that the leading lady is Brendan O'Carroll in drag playing who is now – in the lamentable absence of Dame Edna Everage - the nation's favourite old dear.
But there the similarity ends. I saw the cultured, witty Aussie 25 years ago at the Theatre Royal when she was at the height of her powers, and I've now witnessed O'Carroll's foul-mouthed Dublin Mammy at the height of hers.
There's no doubting the show - and the performance - are a successful modern classic but its weakness, some might say its strength, lies in the toilet humour and toddler-level willy and wind gags.
Having said that, the stage version, Good Mourning Mrs Brown, quickly found its level with an adoring Concert Hall crowd and it's a sell-out for the whole run this week.
Every nuance, every thought, and much of the action is a well-sculpted joy as we share Mrs Brown's take on love, death and homosexuality.
This two-and-a-half-hour treat is an amalgamation of several plotlines from the television series, so in many ways there's nothing new – and some of the gags were prehistoric anyway.
Yet it's a warm and winning performance with a smile, a knowing glint in the eye and a well-practised cackle to get us all on-side.
Three main strands include grandad pretending to be dead so that he can find out what people really think of him, one daughter's love-life with a new boyfriend, and the son's efforts to ensure there's enough cash to put a deposit down on a new home for him and his pregnant wife.
It helps that O'Carroll surrounds himself with family and friends on stage as they all clearly relish the nightly challenge of getting through the show without giving in to too much laughter themselves, although it must be a struggle.
The comedy veteran clearly slips in many unexpected lines which work wonders with the audience and also have the cast in stitches.
A sample gag (and one of my favourites), is when the doctor says: "We'll need a sample of urine and a sample of his stools"; Grandad: "What did she say?"; Mrs Brown: "She wants your underpants!"
Perhaps the comparison should be less Edna Everage and more Les Dawson...
But it's a winning mix and one of the biggest cheers of the night was when O'Carroll promised at the curtain call that the cast would be back with the sequel – the second of a five-part trilogy.
Monday, May 16
'I think my days of glamorous dolly bird roles are over!'
A galaxy of stars from stage and television visited Lincoln’s Theatre Royal for the comedy drama, Five Blue Haired Ladies Sitting on a Green Park Bench.
The hilarious – and moving – story by John A Penzotti, concentrates on five wonderful women and is guaranteed to make you laugh ... and cry.
One of its big stars, popular actress Lorraine Chase, says she loves Lincoln and its theatre and is looking forward to her visit along with household names Shirley Anne Field, Anita Harris, Anne Charleston, Christopher Beeny, Frazer Hines and Tom Owen.
She said: “When the Campari adverts took off years ago I’d already been booked to do panto and had to come out of the West End and come to the little Lincoln Theatre, much to the chagrin of my co-star Kenneth Williams, who chastised me!
“That was for Chris Moreno, who ran the Lincoln theatre 33 years ago. I love that theatre and Chris too, who is one of the reasons this cast came together.
“One or two of the ladies had done the play before, and we have some lovely men including Chris Beeny and Fraser Hines, who’s also local to Lincoln.”
Lorraine has enjoyed 32 years in the business, with roles ranging from Dolly Clothespeg in Worzel Gummidge, to working with Roland Rat, having her own TV comedy series The Other Arf and later being a star of Lame Ducks, with John Duttine.
Her TV work in between a prolific stage career includes roles in Casualty, The Bill, Lock Stock and My Family.
More recently she had a prominent role in Emmerdale, playing the unpredictable Stephanie Stokes for six months. She ended up staying for four and a half years, leaving the soap in 2006.
“It’s a different form of acting,” she says.
“When you’re in a soap you can’t get into detail. You get your lines, learn them the night before, then you go in the next day and play it.
“I was just a working actor in a soap. I left because I didn’t want to become too entrenched. If you stay there 25 years, it’s retirement. You don’t have time to do other things. You don’t even have time for panto!”
She said actors have to strike a balance between regular money and living in one place with keeping fresh and moving forward.
“I lived in Yorkshire for four years and the people there were lovely, but my mum and dad – who aren’t getting any younger – and my friends live in London,” she revealed.
You may remember that working as a successful model, The Londoner came to fame in the acclaimed Campari TV commercials when her catchphrases “Nice Ere Innit” and “No, Luton Airport” became nationally quoted moving her on to celebrity status and her highly successful acting career.
But she says: “There’s some confusion now between celebrities and working actors. Once you get into acting you go into TV shows to tell people what you’re about to do.
“Now they make celebrity out of personal lives. If you’re a working actor in rep you’re not on television selling it because you’re at the theatre.”
Her new role in Five Blue Haired Ladies is “a nice little character”, contributing to the pathos and the laughs of the show, which focuses on the sixty-somethings’ well-lived lives and fears for the future.
“I think my days of glamorous dolly bird roles are over,” confides Lorraine, who qualifies for her bus pass later this year. “You have to go with your age, sadly – I’d be able to get into the clothes but it wouldn’t be a good look!”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)